Profound insight into tractor energy dissipation through inevitable interaction inside wheel-soil interface for the period of plowing works

Abstract

Inevitable interaction between soil and pneumatic tires of an off road vehicle in a rectilinear motion leads to experience of energy dissipation. Rolling resistance force and longitudinal slip of wheels are responsible for the energy dissipation inside wheel-soil interface. Attention of current study is paid to methodically elucidate the energy dissipation by wheels of front wheel assist tractor for the period of plowing works. To achieve this goal, the energy dissipation dependency on draft force requirement of plow implement as well as tractor drive mode (rear wheel drive (RWD) and front wheel-assisted drive (FWAD)) was quantitatively ascertained. Results disclosed that the energy dissipation ascended in domain of 3.18-17.66 and 3.14-21.04 MJ/ha for the RWD and FWAD mode, respectively, as the draft force requirement proliferated from 3.85 to 23.04 kN. Whilst, energy expenditure for plowing works ranged from 12.45 to 74.85 MJ/ha. It means that the energy dissipation was approximately equal to quarter of energy expenditure for plowing works. When the draft force requirement augmented, portion of the energy dissipation caused by the slip of the wheels raised in range of 12.15-82.51% and thereby, that of rolling resistance force of the wheels dropped in range of 87.85-17.49%. Hence, to reduce the energy dissipation, for both drive modes at the higher draft force requirement, activation of slip control system for preservation of the slip of the wheels in a particular range is sufficient enough. For both drive modes at the lower draft force requirement, not only activation of the system, but also decrement of rolling resistance force of the wheels by overinflating the tires must be prescribed. In case of the FWAD mode, overinflating the tires must be accomplished based on generation of driving lead of front wheels in allowable range.